Words by Webb

Want to promote your blog, book, writing event? One easy way is to guest post on a blog.

The Muffin, the blog for WOW-Women on Writing, is looking for short posts(500 words or less)from writers about women and writing. Everything from essays to markets to tips to events. Anything and everything! Oh, and you don’t have to be a woman!

Send your Friday “Speak Out” to Marcia Peterson at marcia@wow-womenonwriting.com

Check out the Muffin at http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

 
While we’re on the subject of guest posting I’m looking for a few writer blogs to trade posts with. I’ll share my followers with you if you share your followers with me

If you have an idea for a mystery book(me) or a completed manuscript sitting on your desk today’s the day for you. I’ve found three great contests including one for debut authors!

Dark Oak Mystery Contest
Submission: 60,000 to 80,000 word completed manuscript
Deadline: July 31
Prizes:
Grand Prize-publication with Oak Tree Press
Second Prize: Manuscript critique
Third Prize: $100 of Oak Tree Books
Fee: $35

Debut Dagger Contest
Deadline: February 2011
Submission: First 3000 words and a synopsis
Prizes:
Grand Prize: $740.60(approximate) and trip to London for two to award ceremony
Fee: $37.30(approximate)

St. Martin’s Minotaur/Mystery Writers of America Writing Contest
Deadline: November 30
Submission: Complete Manuscript of approximately 60,000 words
Prizes:
Grand Prize: Offer of publication agreement with St. Martin’s including $10,000 advance
Fee: $0

Since I wrote a post for the Muffin about magazine fillers I thought I’d give you a few spots to send your fillers.

Catholic Digest

Type: jokes, anecdotes, inspirational, informative    
Length: one line to 500 words
Payment: $2 per line

The Family Handyman

Type: Handy Hints and Great Goofs
Length: varies
Payment: $100

Writer’s Digest

Type: Literary themed humor, tips, news, history
Length: 25 to 500 words
Payment: 30 to 50 cents

The Bark

Type: dog themed tips, how-to
Length: under 600 words
Payment: varies

I Love Cats

Type: cat themed
Length: under 500 words
Payment: $25

Any great filler markets you’d like to share?

I didn’t win Gotham Writers’ Workshops YA Novel Discovery Contest. But on to bigger and better. OK, maybe just different.

The folks at Gotham were happy to tell me about a few upcoming contests and, even though I’m no poet, I’m going to give the Acrostic Contest a shot. The contest is to celebrate the release of the movie Alice in Wonderland. Seems C.S. Lewis was a big acrostic fan. Check out the prizes at The Writer.

I remember when I taught school there were a lot of these for holidays. You know:

Mother

M is for the mountains of laundry you do

O is for the oatmeal cookies you bake

T is for the times you take me to the park

H is for the hugs you give me

E is for everytime you tell me you love me

R is for running to catch the ice cream truck

If you’ve wondering about the Shady Side Review Contest I’ve entered a piece about an overheard conversation. Thank you cellphone technology for making that an everyday occurence–the things I’ve heard while standing in line at the grocery store!

I’m happy to hear about any writing contests you hear about! I’m on a writing contest kick lately!

I frequently come across “found money” in my coat pockets. Quarters, pennies, the occassional dollar bill. I rarely transfer them to my wallet with the “real money”. Instead I let them gather in the pockets, usually until I have enough to buy a candy bar. This is the extent of my financial planning: saving spare change until I can buy a candy bar!

I don’t do much better with my time planning. I have a file in my computer for writing contests. The problem is I push emails about contests into the file and forget about them until the deadline is long past.

But I’ve found a contest that allows me to break both these impossible habits. First, I’m going to use that spare change for something that won’t add pounds around my middle. Second, I’m going to enter a contest. This week!

The Shady Side Review Postcard Contest only costs $1.00(I may still have enough change left over for that candy bar!) and the word count is 100 words. I need a day to think about it but tomorrow I’ll let you know a hint about what I wrote.

I love this contest because the prize is a million dollars. Ok, not really. The prize for first, second and third palce is ten glossy postcards featuring your winnning piece. Shady Side gets an A for originality. they’ll also be handing out the postcards this April at The Association of Writers and Writing Programs in Denver.

Want to join me in NOT missing a contest deadline this week? The contest info is at the Shady Side Review site.

Does every writer have their Mt. Everest? That one special market they want to crack. I suppose the New Yorker is Mt. Everest for many writers. I don’t think I’m a New Yorker kind of gal. Although I like reading the New Yorker, I don’t think my writing is New Yorker style. My Mt. Everest is The Sun.

When I first read The Sun I was amazed. No ads…just words and photographs. And the words! I dreamed of writing like that(I still dream of writing like that).

I’ve never submitted to The Sun. Well, never to the main section of the magazine. Instead I submit to the small section called “Readers Write”. Each issue runs several pages of writers’ short writings on a theme. So I submit to “Readers Write” hoping that if I someday am chosen I’ll get up enough nerve to submit to the main magazine.

If you want to try to climb my Mt Everest you can submit typed, double spaced pieces with your name, address, phone number and email to:

Readers Write
The Sun
107 North Roberson Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27516

The Sun has not embraced email. somehow that makes them all the more special to me. Upcoming themes are:

April 1 — Slowing Down
May 1 — Teenagers
June 1 — The Office
July 1 — Medicine
Aug 1 — Making It Last
Sept 1 — Singing

[/caption]Postcards and Pearls: Life Lessons from Solo Moments in New York

I am seeking vignettes from women age 25+ who have traveled solo to New York City and had memorable experiences (hilarious, challenging, poignant, surprising, joyful, spiritual) for my fourth book, Postcards and Pearls: Life Lessons from Solo Moments in New York. Please pass along to any women you might know who have traveled solo to New York as I describe below and who would be interested in sharing their stories.

I define NYC as any of the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island). I define “solo” as being in your own company vs. traveling in the company of, or meeting up with people already known to you. If your NYC solo adventure involves a person or persons you didn’t know previously, but interacted with as part of the travel story, that works for my purposes. For example, you could have been completely on your own, hired a guide, met up with a tour group of new people or unexpectedly met a new person.

Please tell your story by E-MAILING YOUR RESPONSES TO THE SIX OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS BELOW to gina@ginagreenlee.com. Let me know if you would like writng credit or anonymity(first name only). all contributors receive a copy of the book when it is published in fall of 2010.

Questions

1. Describe the circumstances surrounding your solo trip to New York City (How old were you at the time? Where were you specifically, as in what borough? How long was your stay? Why did you travel there? Where did you travel from – as in city/state/country?).

2. What happened during this trip and what were the predominant feelings associated with the experience?

3. What did you learn about yourself on this trip?

4. What lessons have you applied to your everyday life as a result of this trip?

5. What were your impressions of, or feelings about New York City before your trip? Did they change afterward?

6. What is your age and occupation? If you are retired, what was your work previously?

And as promised, a snapshot of my lumpy, bumpy, oh-so-warm wicked witch socks, that I had long before Wicked made Oz so popular. I don’t know what I’ll do when they get worn out since I can’t find another pair. Guess I’ll definitely have to move South then. While we’re talking about Oz…what was the scariest scene for you? I’m going to have to go with the flying monkeys swooping down on them. I always hid behind my dad’s rocker for that part.